Adding salt to your food can increase your risk of stomach cancer by 40%, according to a new study.
The study, published in the journal Stomach Cancer, looked at data from more than 500,000 people in the UK, excluding people with pre-existing cancer or kidney problems.
“We found that participants who consistently added salt to their diet had a 41% higher risk of developing stomach cancer compared to participants who never or rarely added salt,” the study said. ing.
According to the National Cancer Institute, stomach cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the world, and “stomach cancer is more common in countries in East Asia, Eastern Europe, and Central and South America than in the United States and other Western countries.” is.
Stock image of salt shaker.
getty
The group also notes that “a diet low in fruits and vegetables, or high in salted, smoked, or poorly preserved foods, may increase the risk of stomach cancer.”
As a recent study points out, Asians have higher rates of stomach cancer due to their “higher intakes of salt, salted fish, pickled foods, and processed meats.”
However, the authors noted that this study had limitations.
“Our study, based on a large cohort, suggests that constantly adding salt to food at the table is also associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer in Western populations, but this may be due to some “There are limitations. The number of cases in our study was not sufficient to assess the influence of potential modifiers such as gender, age, ethnicity, H. pylori infection, and smoking status,” the study said. I am.
Never miss a news. Sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up to date on what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. ”
However, “people who consume a lot of salt are also more likely to consume foods with high sodium content. The true association with risk may be stronger than what was observed in this study.”
Overall cancer incidence rates in the United States are increasing. According to recent reports, a record 2 million people are expected to be diagnosed with cancer this year.
Stock image of a spilled salt shaker.
getty
“Americans consume an average of more than 3,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, adding that the federal recommendation is 2,300 mg.
According to the National Cancer Institute, people who are at high risk for stomach cancer can be screened for it through endoscopy.
However, the group says gastric cancer is generally not diagnosed in its early stages, and subsequent diagnoses often have a poor prognosis.
“Stomach cancer is often advanced by the time it is diagnosed,” says the National Cancer Institute. “Stomach cancer is treatable in its advanced stages, but it is rarely curable.”